Sitting on the Sidelines
by Alice Evangeline Bae Gracey
Summary: Pre-story #4. Mickey's neighbour, Goofy Goof, has the perfect view of what goes on in the Mouse household from his living room window. He sees every fight, every moment. That doesn't mean he understands everything.


**Sitting on the Sidelines**

* * *

Goofy looked over at his neighbour's house across the street, to see Mickey leaving the house to his car. From the door, Oswald could be seen in the doorframe watching, with Pluto by his side. For a long time, Goofy had been watching Mickey's daily morning routine, but ever since his older brother Oswald had joined him in that house for whatever reason he had, the routine had changed significantly. While Mickey used to sit all alone for a bit near the window in the living room, enjoying a bit of toast, if Goofy looked hard enough now to see into the kitchen, he'd see the brothers sitting together with cereal or something more satisfying, sharing a chat.

Mickey also used to leave a heck of a lot earlier, but now he left with enough time to spare, but enough for him to be able to sleep in. It was almost like being with Oswald led Mickey to a much more healthier lifestyle, something that made Goofy smile as he drank his coffee in the morning, once again peering into his neighbours' lives.

Oswald was all alone today as Mickey left for another shift a the police station. From what Goofy understood, ever since the mouse had returned to work after being sick, he had gotten promoted and had a much more lenient work shift. From what Goofy could see, the less hectic work style and having his older brother home with him had led to Mickey looking healthier and better every day. It was something that made the dog smile and enjoy seeing. However...

... it was also very confusing. From what Goofy knew, the two brothers tended to keep their business to themselves, rarely sharing it with each other. Not to mention, Oswald lived on the other side of town. The... other, _other_ side of town, and he lived with a girlfriend, from what Goofy could recall. It made Goofy's mind wander as he tried to come up with various reasons as to why the brothers were suddenly living together without seeming to be too nosy.

Did Fanny Cottontail get pregnant, and kick Oswald out when he denied being the father to the baby?

Did Oswald break it off with Fanny Cottontail, and thus, had to move into Mickey's place to stay out of the poor house?

Or, perhaps Oswald and Fanny were just having a break from one another? Perhaps their place became too crowded?

Goofy also noted that Oswald being there had slowed Mickey down significantly, and gave him some companionship by being there. Mickey was less hectic, more joyful, and even more talkative. His usual stutter wasn't as bad when Goofy had the chance to talk to him during the days or evenings, and sometimes, he'd even mention his brother in chats, which he almost never used to do.

Perhaps they had wanted to get closer to one another, so Oswald agreed to move in for a bit to hang out with his little brother.

Come to think of it, what did Oswald do for a living?

Goofy's eyes narrowed as he came to this realization. He watched as Oswald accepted the mail from the mailman and wandered back into the house, but Goofy wondered...

He had almost never seen Oswald even _leave _that house. Not unless he really needed to, and Goofy spent a lot of time at home when he was off work. It helped him catch up on the house chores and being able to take care of Max after a long day at school. But, that sudden realization stuck in his mind...

Oswald didn't leave the house. Ever.

Now, to a normal being living in Toon Town, this realization would usually end in the decision that Oswald was simply someone that preferred to stay indoors. However, to someone as goofy as, well, Goofy, the realization led to something more along the lines of this:

_Oswald was hiding something_.

Now, Goofy wasn't sure what, but just the thought that maybe Oswald was hiding something from everyone else on Iwerk Drive made him feel slightly uneasy. Maybe he and Mickey were really serial killers, and Oswald was the one responsible for dismembering the bodies...

... No, that idea didn't make any sense. Mickey was so soft spoken and nice and Oswald would never take part in something like that. ... Right?

Well, maybe he was part of the police force, too, like Mickey was, even if he was just a secretary for an investigator. Or, maybe Oswald was a secret agent and had been placed there because someone along Iwerk Drive was doing... _illegal _things.

It was hard for Goofy to imagine, but one the thought had entered his head, he panicked. What if Clarabelle's soft and kind "gardening" personality was just a front? What if those ice cream cakes and other treats she made was just a ruse, to hide the fact that she hid bodies in her basement, of those that she killed? What if Pete down the lane was really a mob boss? What if Mr. McDuck, the kindest old duck in town, was really the big criminal leader of the entire town, and _he _was behind all the disappearances of the Argente de Champagne manor?!

If that was true, then no wonder Oswald was on the case! That Argente de Champagne manor had taken so many sweet children, like his own... his own Goofy Junior, his first born son. He was so glad that his Maxie had taken the same fate, now in high school and having school crushes and learning how to cook and drive. Max always said he clung to him like water to ice. He just didn't want his son to disappear.

... Max didn't even _know _he could have had a brother.

With a sigh, Goofy peered out his window to see Oswald walking by the living room window, turning on that really old television that Mickey owned and wouldn't get rid of. Oswald had a bag of chips, but Goofy couldn't tell what kind. He also had a newspaper, and was looking at the classifieds.

... Maybe Oswald didn't have a deadly secret, but one thing was for sure, his sudden appearance in that house had gotten Goofy to thinking. It was a good thing for Mickey, a good thing for Oswald, too, and clearly, Pluto was happy to have both of them in the house with him. Hadn't Pluto been a gift from Oswald and Minnie to Mickey? The two of them had collaborated on it, maybe five years ago.

Goofy might never know the secret to Oswald's sudden appearance, but still, he found himself chuckling at his rather silly idea of Oswald being a secret agent trying to solve the case of the Argente de Champagne manor. There was no way that was true!

And then he frowned.

... Was it?


End file.
